SLOCOMB – Outside the visitor’s locker room, Straughn parents, players and coaches gathered to celebrate the end of a winning season Friday night.

The Tigers (8-3, 5-3) held their heads high despite a loss to the Slocomb Red Tops 46-14.

Tiger head coach Trent Taylor said he was proud of the way the team played Friday night.

“I’m proud of our kids,” Taylor said “I don’t think anybody truly back in August gave an opportunity for us to be here especially after the two previous years. I think that those 14 (seniors) will never put on a Straughn uniform again.

“This is their time right now and I just can’t say enough good things about them,” he said. “I hated that (the season) had to end like this. You’ve got to give Slocomb a lot of credit.”

It wasn’t a good start for the Tigers as senior quarterback Ryne Taylor threw an interception to Red Top wide receiver Chad Schmidt early in the first quarter.

Slocomb took advantage of the early spark to ignite a three-play touchdown scoring drive with 7:37 left in the first quarter.

On Straughn’s 40-yard line, Red Top running back Gregory Burdeshaw ran the ball in for a 40-yard touchdown.

Two possessions later for Slocomb, Burdeshaw’s running mate, Jermaine “Juicy” Williams ran the ball for a 22-yard touchdown run to pull the Red Tops ahead by 14 with 4 seconds left in the first.

Straughn started to see the light in the second quarter as running back Andrew Stokes ran the ball for a 15-yard touchdown run with 9:20 left in the half to put the score at 14-6.

But, on their next possession, Red Tops’ Burdeshaw did it again with another touchdown run from 11 yards out to put the score at 20-6.

Straughn could not move the ball on their next possession and Slocomb took over and made the best of play as Red Tops’ quarterback William Harper ran the ball in from 9 yards out with zero seconds left in the first half.

With 2:41 left in the third quarter, the Red Tops, from 5 yards out, scored another touchdown to make it 33-6.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Red Tops gained full control of the game as Burdeshaw ran for his third touchdown of the night from 8 yards out to make it 40-6.

“Those two backs are exceptionally good,” Taylor said. “There’s no other way to put it. We’ll be back and there is no doubt. We’ll be back maybe not here, but somewhere next year.

“I already talked to those guys about setting those goals to not only be in the playoffs, but to be at home next year. We’ll take a couple days and get right back in the weight room next week and get back to it.”

Straughn was not finished scoring for the night as Taylor scrambled and ran the ball in for a 5-yard touchdown run.

Slocomb sealed the deal on their next possession in running style as Williams carried the ball 51 yards for a touchdown with 6:02 left in the game.

Leading rushers for the Red Tops were Williams with 183 yards in rushing and Burdeshaw with 225.

Taylor said most of the credit for the success of the season goes to the seniors on the team.

“I’m just extremely proud at the way they have lead this team all year long,” Taylor said. “You just have to be there every day and know what they did even way back in February. I hate to lose one especially by that score, but again the credit goes to Slocomb and we’ll get right back to work and see what happens.”

Leading rusher for Straughn was Andrew Stokes with 75 yards and one touchdown.